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Bastiat & Liberty Watchdog Index
Texas Local Government Freedom Index
Objective, empirical rankings grading 6,167 Texas local governments and 31,351 elected officials on fiscal restraint, tax burden, private property rights, and regulatory overreach. Zero peer normalization.
Top Ranked Governments (Highest Liberty)
Showing 51–75 of 130 matching jurisdictions
28-Year Freedom & Budget Trend Benchmark (FY 2000 – FY 2027)
Cohort Average Across Visible Page (25 Ranked Entities)5-Yr Freedom Trend (FY 22→27)
▼ -2.3 pts
27-Yr Liberty Shift (FY 00→27)
▼ -8.8 pts
Annual Budget Growth (YoY)
+4.4% YoY
5-Yr Budget Expansion
+25.9% (CAGR +4.2%/yr)
#1140
State Rank
City of Kilgore
CITY • Gregg County • Pop: 13,583
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.656222Fiscal: 60.6Regulatory: 25.8Debt: 53.4▼ -2.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.9% YoY (+24.5% 5Y)
Grade F(46.6/100)
#1139
State Rank
City of Roanoke
CITY • Denton County • Pop: 10,895
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.326182Fiscal: 80.4Regulatory: 20Debt: 29.9▼ -3.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.9% YoY (+29.3% 5Y)
Grade F(46.6/100)
#1141
State Rank
City of La Feria
CITY • Cameron County • Pop: 7,036
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.7300Fiscal: 56.2Regulatory: 23.5Debt: 63.6▼ -1.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.8% YoY (+33.2% 5Y)
Grade F(46.6/100)
#1142
State Rank
City of Krum
CITY • Denton County • Pop: 6,799
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.6580Fiscal: 60.5Regulatory: 28Debt: 50▼ -1.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.3% YoY (+16.3% 5Y)
Grade F(46.5/100)
#1146
State Rank
City of Deer Park
CITY • Harris County • Pop: 34,495
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.7200Fiscal: 56.8Regulatory: 34Debt: 46.5▼ -2.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.6% YoY (+28.4% 5Y)
Grade F(46.2/100)
#1144
State Rank
City of San Juan
CITY • Hidalgo County • Pop: 37,341
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.6585Fiscal: 60.5Regulatory: 20Debt: 59.9▼ -1.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.5% YoY (+32.0% 5Y)
Grade F(46.2/100)
#1143
State Rank
City of Caddo Mills
CITY • Hunt County • Pop: 5,257
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4815Fiscal: 71.1Regulatory: 24.4Debt: 36.9▼ -3.0 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.7% YoY (+29.1% 5Y)
Grade F(46.2/100)
#1145
State Rank
City of Red Oak
CITY • Ellis County • Pop: 19,365
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.6950Fiscal: 58.3Regulatory: 30.9Debt: 48.3▼ -2.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.0% YoY (+31.0% 5Y)
Grade F(46.2/100)
#1147
State Rank
City of Tomball
CITY • Harris County • Pop: 15,152
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.34094Fiscal: 79.5Regulatory: 20Debt: 29.1▼ -3.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.2% YoY (+20.4% 5Y)
Grade F(46.1/100)
#1149
State Rank
City of Everman
CITY • Tarrant County • Pop: 6,067
FY 27 Tax Rate: $1.0185Fiscal: 38.9Regulatory: 35.5Debt: 72.5▲ +0.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +6.3% YoY (+44.7% 5Y)
Grade F(46.1/100)
#1148
State Rank
City of Lubbock
CITY • Lubbock County • Pop: 266,878
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.477198Fiscal: 71.4Regulatory: 20Debt: 42▼ -2.4 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+18.1% 5Y)
Grade F(46.1/100)
#1150
State Rank
City of Springtown
CITY • Parker County • Pop: 3,355
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.494822Fiscal: 70.3Regulatory: 22.7Debt: 39.9▼ -2.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.6% YoY (+20.5% 5Y)
Grade F(46/100)
#1151
State Rank
City of Canadian
CITY • Hemphill County • Pop: 2,169
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.84638Fiscal: 49.2Regulatory: 28.4Debt: 64.8▼ -0.5 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.7% YoY (+13.8% 5Y)
Grade F(45.8/100)
#1152
State Rank
City of Sherman
CITY • Grayson County • Pop: 50,229
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.5590Fiscal: 66.5Regulatory: 20Debt: 46.2▼ -1.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.6% YoY (+4.9% 5Y)
Grade F(45.2/100)
#1153
State Rank
City of Post
CITY • Garza County • Pop: 3,594
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.8912Fiscal: 46.5Regulatory: 38.8Debt: 52.1▼ -1.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.4% YoY (+25.2% 5Y)
Grade F(45.2/100)
#1154
State Rank
City of New Braunfels
CITY • Comal County • Pop: 116,477
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.4128Fiscal: 75.2Regulatory: 20Debt: 30.8▼ -3.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.4% YoY (+18.4% 5Y)
Grade F(44.8/100)
#1155
State Rank
City of Hillsboro
CITY • Hill County • Pop: 8,878
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.7950Fiscal: 52.3Regulatory: 21.5Debt: 65▼ -1.1 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.0% YoY (+35.2% 5Y)
Grade F(44.7/100)
#1156
State Rank
City of River Oaks
CITY • Tarrant County • Pop: 7,505
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.7385Fiscal: 55.7Regulatory: 20Debt: 61.3▼ -1.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.5% YoY (+28.2% 5Y)
Grade F(44.6/100)
#1157
State Rank
City of Trenton
CITY • Fannin County • Pop: 852
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.589692Fiscal: 64.6Regulatory: 36.6Debt: 23.2▼ -3.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.3% YoY (+28.3% 5Y)
Grade F(44.5/100)
#1158
State Rank
City of Alvarado
CITY • Johnson County • Pop: 7,312
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.813809Fiscal: 51.2Regulatory: 34.1Debt: 48.5▼ -1.9 pts (5Y)Budget: +4.4% YoY (+34.6% 5Y)
Grade F(44.5/100)
#1159
State Rank
City of Pharr
CITY • Hidalgo County • Pop: 81,142
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.7525Fiscal: 54.9Regulatory: 22.5Debt: 58.1▼ -1.8 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.4% YoY (+30.5% 5Y)
Grade F(44.4/100)
#1160
State Rank
City of Lake Worth
CITY • Tarrant County • Pop: 4,813
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.494737Fiscal: 70.3Regulatory: 20Debt: 36.4▼ -3.2 pts (5Y)Budget: +3.8% YoY (+21.1% 5Y)
Grade F(44.2/100)
#1161
State Rank
City of Rowlett
CITY • Dallas County • Pop: 68,123
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.669524Fiscal: 59.8Regulatory: 25.5Debt: 44.6▼ -2.6 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.7% YoY (+36.3% 5Y)
Grade F(44/100)
#1163
State Rank
City of San Marcos
CITY • Hays County • Pop: 74,316
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.6515Fiscal: 60.9Regulatory: 22.8Debt: 45.9▼ -2.7 pts (5Y)Budget: +5.6% YoY (+25.4% 5Y)
Grade F(43.8/100)
#1162
State Rank
City of Blanco
CITY • Blanco County • Pop: 2,077
FY 27 Tax Rate: $0.481307Fiscal: 71.1Regulatory: 22.6Debt: 29.6▼ -3.3 pts (5Y)Budget: +2.9% YoY (+17.4% 5Y)
Grade F(43.8/100)